Suspect in custody following security scare on Capitol Hill

US
Secret Service Counter-Assault Team members, seen from the
windows of the press briefing room, stand on alert at the White
House after reports of a shooting at the US Capitol in
Washington, DC, on March 28.Jonathan
Ernst/Reuters

A man was shot by Capitol police after pointing what appeared to
be a weapon at officers at the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) in
Washington, DC, on Monday.

The suspect was transported to the hospital, where he is
undergoing surgery, Capitol Police Chief Matthew Verderosa
said in a press conference. He added that the suspect's condition
was unknown at the time.

An uninvolved female bystander suffered minor
injuries and was also transported to the hospital, Verderosa
said. Initial reports had suggested that a police officer had
been injured, but Verderosa said that no officers had been harmed
in the incident.

The US Capitol was placed on lockdown and
staff were told to shelter in place because of a "potential
security threat" after shots were reported at the Capitol Visitor
Center. Buildings on Capitol Hill were opened an hour later,
with the exception of the Visitor Center, which remained a crime
scene.

Verderosa also stressed that the incident was
performed by an individual known to police, who had "frequented
the grounds" before. He would not comment on
reports that the suspect was a man who had interrupted a
congressional session in October. He said that there was "no
reason to believe" this incident was anything more than an
isolated "criminal act."

A witness to the incident filmed the
scene at the CVC. Click the image below to play: